Diapering support



Feb. 21, 1956 HANCQCK 2,735,737

DIAPERING SUPPORT Filed June 15, 1953 INVENTOR. Hden CLaye Hancock LAURENCE, VANDERKELEN and MILLER AUOENEVS United States Patent Ofiiice 2,735,737 DIAPERING SUPPORT Helen Clare Hancock, New Orleans, La. Application June 15, 1953, Serial No. 361,613 3 Claims. (Cl. 311-2) The present invention relates to a diapering support and more particularly to a wall bracket folding type baby support which may be conveniently and compactly located in lavatories, toilets, and rest rooms for the convenience of mothers in handling babies who require diapering attention.

Because no adequate provision has been made, in public and private rest rooms for the diapering of babies, the the mother is faced with a juggling problem of the greatest magnitude in removing the used diaper, cleansing the baby, and adjusting a new diaper into position. Babies have been the usual precautions against injury diiiicult if not impossible. The extreme inconvenience to mothers because of inadequate provisions for the diapering of infants is incalculable. Where crude facilities, such as tables, are available they cramp the limited space of the rest room and in addition are rarely used by the mothers because of the belief that unsanitary conditions may exist thereon.

The present invention has as its object the provision of a simple, economical and space-saving structure for the diapering of babies which is provided with adequate support and which is arranged to provide a sanitary surface upon which the baby can be rested.

An additional object is to provide a body conforming support surface upon which the baby may be rested while diapering is in progress.

A still further object is to provide a relatively tamperproof structure which can be easily serviced and supplied.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of the diapering support as viewed when lowered for use.

Figure 2 is a front elevation showing the diapering support in its lowered position for use with hidden edge General description In general the diapering support structure consists of an elongated generally L-shaped sanitary sheet container which serves as a base member for the hinged diapering support member. The sanitary sheet container is provided internally with means for receiving and dispensing a sanitary paper sheet from the roll form. A hinged door at the front of the said sheet container provides access for replacing spent rolls of paper. At the top of the sheet container a serrated tearing edge is provided above a supply slit so that the sanitary sheet may be ripped oil and disposed of after use. The diapering support member has a modeled surface to conform generally to 2,735,737 Patented Feb. 21, 1956 the body of an infant and acts to cradle the infant while diapering is in progress. A pair of arms are provided at either end of the diapering support member which are pivotally secured thereto. The arms are pivotally bracketed at the other end for secure attachment to the wall. The arms are broken so as to be foldable midway between the diapering support and the wall bracket fixture so that when the diapering member is not in use the arms will, scissors-like, fold out of the way against the wall. The diapering member, because of the position of its center of gravity in the raised position, will position itself against the wall in a compact manner pivotal upon its hinges which are attached to the sheet container to assist in carrying the weight of the structure and to transmit loads upon the structure into the wall.

Referring more particularly to the drawing the elongated container 11 is generally L-shaped in cross section being provided with a step 12. The back 13 of said container 11 is rectangular and is provided with slots 14 which may accommodate various wall attaching means. The preferred attachment for flush mounting are means inclosing a plurality of tongues 15 insertable in the said slots 14. The tongues 15 are securely attached to or in the Wall 16 by screws, bolts, or other fastening means. Screws are shown as a specific embodiment in Figure 4. In the top 17 of the sheet container 11 is a slit orifice 18 of such size as to accommodate the desired width of the paper sheet 19.

An arcuate baffie 18a, having the same width as the orifice 18, is attached as by spot welding or other fastening means so as to form an arcuate paper guide from the interior base of the container 11 to the slit orifice 18,

is provided in the leading edge of the arcuate bafile 18a registering with the U-shaped opening 17a. Directly beneath said slit 18 are hinges 21. If a plurality of hinges 21 are desired the arrangement indicated in the drawing has proved satisfactory. A continuous hinge may be provided running the length of the container 11. Inside said container 11 are sockets 22 (see hidden edge lines in Fig. 3) located in the end plates 23 into which may be inserted rotatably the roll of paper 24. The panel 25, comprising the front of said container 11, is flush hinged at 26 so that it may be opened outwardly and downwardly for replacing used rolls. A lock may be utilized securing said panel 25 from opening. drawing a spring loaded ball 27 is provided which by detent means 28 secures the panel in the closed position.

To the hinges 21 is attached the infant diapering support member 33. The diapering support member 33 is centers and pivotally retained so as to fold inwardly in a scissors-like manner as the diapering support 33 is raised upwardly. The other ends of the arms 36 are provided with pivotal wall hangers 37 so that the diapering support 33 is adequately braced when in use. Other forms of bracing members may be utilized without a departure from the spirit of the invention.

The container 11 is preferably made of sheet metal. The arms 36 are fashioned from steel selected for its strength and durability characteristics. The support 33 is contour formed in metal, plastic, or wood and may be cushioned as indicated by a resilient matt 33a (Fig. 4).

In the drawings a bumper 38 comprising a rubber stop or the like is provided which resiliently resists damage to the wall. Securing means may be employed to hold the support 33 in the raised position but is normally unnecessary.

In operation the diapering support 33 when in the raised position is retained thereby because of the position of the center of gravity of the support 33. The center of gravity is shifted to a position between hinges 21 and wall 16. A bumper 38 may be used to prevent damage to the wall. As the support 33 is pulled down for use the arms 36 move into the support position with the rear edge of the support 33, adjacent the hinges 21, assisting in support as it bears against the paper container 11 or step 12. This can all be accomplished by the mother with one hand to bring the support 33 into position for use. Utilizing the U-shaped aperture 17a, above the dispenser slit, the sanitary sheeting material 19 may be drawn outwardly to substantially cover the support 33. The mother can then rest the infant on the support 33 and conveniently attend to the changing of its diapers. The babys diaper adjusted, the baby is removed by the mother from the support 33, the sanitary sheet is severed from the roll by action of the serrated cutting edge 20 when the sheet 19 is drawn upward. Then the mother can fold the support 33 upward and dispose of the sanitary paper sheet 19. The space requirements for the diapering structure with respect to extension into the room are not greater than the extension of the container 11 when the support 33 is folded against the wall.

Replacement of paper rolls 24 is easily managed by opening hinged panel 25 in the front of the container 11 and withdrawing the old spool and inserting a fresh roll 24. Threading the paper through the slit orifice is greatly simplified by reason of the arcuate bafile 18a which guides the paper through the slit orifice 18 where it is ready for use.

The invention has been thus specifically described with reference to the drawing attached hereto but it will be understood that certain modifications may be made by persons familiar in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a diapering support structure the combination including: a wall mounted paper dispensing container provided with a slit orifice and having a hinge along the forward face parallel to and beneath the orifice; an infant cradling body contoured support member hinged to said container; a serrated tearing edge mounted in said container and above said slit orifice; an access slot above said orifice for withdrawing sheets of paper; an arcuate bafile in said container directing paper fiow through said slit; and collapsible supporting arms attached pivotally to said support member at one end and pivotally attachable to the wall at the other end.

2. In a diapering support structure the combination including: a wall mounted paper dispensing container provided with a slit orifice in the top thereof and having a hinge along the forward face parallel to and beneath the orifice; a serrated tearing edge mounted in said container; a padded resilient faced infant cradling body contoured support hinged to said container; an access slot above said orifice for withdrawing sheets of paper; an arcuate bafile in said container directing paper flow through said slit; and collapsible supporting arms attached pivotally to said support member at one end and pivotally attachable to the wall at the other end.

3. In a diapering support structure, the combination including: a wall mounted paper dispensing container having a slit orifice and having a hinge along the forward face thereof parallel to and beneath the orifice; an infant cradling body contoured support member pivotally hinged to said container; and collapsible supporting arms attached pivotally to said support member at one end and pivotally attachable to the wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 966,244 Ruck Aug. 2, 1910 1,108,799 Shortt Aug. 25, 1914 2,197,359 Cook Apr. 16, 1940 

